Proform Vue
Peloton, iFit & Co.: Mirror, mirror on the wall, who burned the most money?
18.5.2022
Translation: machine translated
Recently, I've been working out in front of a fitness mirror. The dwarves from iFit are in great shape, even though the fairy-tale hype about networked training devices has long since died down. That's why behind the facade there's a battle going on that would delight the Brothers Grimm.
My reflection in the mirror has told me a lot of things: "That's supposed to be a hairstyle?" - "You still have toothpaste on your chin there." - "No need to look so grouchy." Sometimes there were also fairy tales ("Man, you look good today!"). Just things and phrases that the sight of oneself automatically chisels into one's brain as soon as one's face meets the incorruptible surface of truth in the pale bathroom light. For a long time, a mirror was relatively private. Not a window to the world, just a reflection of one's own state of mind. That's over for me.
At the moment, agile fitness dwarves are peering out of the mirror at me and urging me to train. My face fades behind them. Then I do what the dwarf of my choice tells me to do: biceps curls, pushups, planks. Exercises to pick up praise from the mirror afterwards: "Good jooob, baby!" Yeah. Another workout done, another small victory in everyday life. Thanks to the Proform Vue and the iFit fitness platform.
The invisible force
Unlike the queen in Snow White, for whom the answer to the question "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" is unsatisfactory, I have nothing to fear. The most beautiful, strongest and best is always me in the end. Motivational workouts are important. I should not turn away in anger, but stand in front of the mirror again and again and work out with the instructor:in miniature. That's how it is, the brave new fitness world that moved in with me for a few test weeks.
Since then, I've been trying everything out and trying to understand what benefits such a thing can bring. When I have formed my opinion, a review of the device will follow. The hardware is only half of the story. Because behind every talking mirror is a power. In fairy tales, it drives its owner up the wall with the sentence "Madam Queen, you're the prettiest one here, but Snow White is a thousand times prettier than you". In real life, I shouldn't even get the idea that there could be more beautiful offerings anywhere.
The Proform Vue is linked to iFit, the subscription provider behind it, which has the power to conjure up all those workouts and training plans on the screen. In addition to ProForm, iFit's brand world also includes NordicTrack and Freemotion, for example. The offer seems endless. The selection of equipment and workouts is just as exhaustive as the battle for customers and market share in the industry.
Money burns faster than calories
The pandemic has opened the doors to private homes of people who previously went to the gym. High-quality equipment with screens and a subscription model behind it, live sessions and countless workouts - Peloton in particular has shot through the roof with this formula. The company was valued at nearly $50 billion in January 2021. In the meantime, the hype has died down. Many employees have had to bite the bullet and leave the vergifteten company. Among other things the boss. In February, 2800 jobs were cut and Peloton is still valued at a good five billion.
Just like Peloton, iFit has also stumbled. There was a $300 million lawsuit that could have meant bankruptcy. The company postponed its planned IPO, and its rumored value has plummeted from over seven billion to under three billion. Money can be burned faster than calories. Especially when customers lose interest and move on. So the dwarves on my screen have to make an effort. The gyms are open again and other mirrors have nice trainers, too. There's Mirror, Vaha, Tempo Studio and many more competitors, for example. They all want me. And you. By all means. And no matter if you train in front of a mirror, on a bike or on a treadmill. They not only want us, they need us to get their act together entrepreneurially.
Complain, complain, complain
While I, as a customer, am being courted and motivated in front of the mirror ("let's go together, let's grow together!"), behind the scenes things continue like in a fairy tale. The queen turns green and yellow with envy and wants the huntsman to get to Snow White's neck: "Take the child out into the forest. You shall kill it and bring me its lungs and liver for a landmark." Not exactly the fine royal way.
In the real world, lawyers exist to eviscerate the competition. Since the bids are similar, there's a battle for supremacy. Peloton sues Echelon, iFit sues Peloton, Peloton sues iFit. Everyone against everyone. Just a few days ago, the adversaries Peloton and iFit came to an agreement and settled their legal dispute. However, the industry will not calm down anytime soon - too much is at stake.
I'm still a (test) customer at iFit, I'm still king. And I'm having fun exploring my mirrored workout realm. I'm happy to play the court jester for you, too: If you have any questions about the fitness mirror or are interested in specific aspects of iFit content, feel free to leave me a comment. I'll look at as much as I can. I'll fare better than the queen in the fairy tale: She has to dance in red-hot iron slippers until she collapses dead as punishment for her actions. Only time will tell which fitness company will collapse in the red and which will prevail. As long as they haven't died, we'll keep working out.
Sports scientist, high-performance dad and remote worker in the service of Her Majesty the Turtle.